A beef cattle feed containing Artemisia and its preparation method

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of feed technology, specifically relating to a beef cattle feed containing Artemisia annua and its preparation method. Artemisia annua is added to an acetic acid aqueous solution, boiled at a specified temperature for a specified time, filtered, and cooled. The cooled Artemisia annua is then mixed with forage to obtain the beef cattle feed containing Artemisia annua. The preparation method of this application is simple and convenient, greatly improving the palatability of Artemisia annua and effectively increasing its utilization rate. Furthermore, experiments have shown that feeding cattle with the beef cattle feed prepared in this application as roughage does not adversely affect their growth and development; the average weight gain of cattle is the same as that fed with ordinary roughage. Moreover, the beef cattle feed of this application can reduce the incidence of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle, helping them resist the disease.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of feed technology, specifically relating to a beef cattle feed containing Artemisia annua and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Artemisia desertorum, a plant belonging to the genus Artemisia in the family Asteraceae, is an extremely xerophytic psammophyte. Its leaves have a thick cuticle to inhibit transpiration and water loss, and it possesses well-developed palisade tissue while its spongy tissue is largely degenerated. This increases the surface area of ​​chloroplasts for absorbing light and carbon dioxide, thereby enhancing photosynthetic activity. The creeping branches of Artemisia desertorum are beneficial for windbreak and sand fixation. It is characterized by strong adaptability, drought tolerance, wind erosion resistance, sand burial ability, rapid growth, and strong sand-fixing properties, making it a pioneer plant for windbreak and sand fixation, especially common in the saline-alkali lands of Northwest China.

[0003] The livestock industry is well-developed in Northwest China, and the raising of cattle and sheep requires a large amount of forage. Given the wide distribution of Artemisia argyi in Northwest China, it was hoped that Artemisia argyi could be used in the forage of cattle and sheep. However, Artemisia argyi has a strong and bitter smell when it is green, which greatly reduces its palatability. Moreover, direct consumption can irritate the digestive system of cattle, which may lead to symptoms such as indigestion and diarrhea. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, this application provides a beef cattle feed containing Artemisia and its preparation method to solve the technical problems of poor palatability of Artemisia in the prior art, which can easily lead to indigestion and diarrhea.

[0005] The technical solution to the above-mentioned technical problems in this application is as follows: A method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia annua includes the following steps: Artemisia annua was added to an acetic acid aqueous solution and treated at high temperature for a specified time, then filtered and cooled. The cooled Artemisia annua was mixed with forage to obtain beef cattle feed containing Artemisia annua.

[0006] Preferably, in the above-mentioned method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia, the mass concentration of the acetic acid aqueous solution is 0.2% to 0.8%.

[0007] Preferably, in the above-mentioned method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia, the high-temperature treatment temperature is 85°C to 95°C.

[0008] Preferably, in the above-mentioned method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia, the specified time is 1 to 10 minutes.

[0009] Preferably, in the above-mentioned method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia, the amount of Artemisia added is 0.5 wt% to 5 wt% of the feed.

[0010] Preferably, in the above-mentioned method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia, the forage includes any one of corn stalks, rice straw, wheat straw, alfalfa hay, and silage.

[0011] A beef cattle feed containing Artemisia is prepared using the method described in any one of the above-mentioned methods.

[0012] Preferably, the above-mentioned beef cattle feed containing Artemisia is used as roughage for beef cattle.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, this application has at least the following advantages: This application provides a method for preparing wormwood-containing beef cattle feed. The method involves adding wormwood to an acetic acid aqueous solution, boiling it at a specified temperature for a specified time, filtering, and cooling. The cooled wormwood is then mixed with forage to obtain the wormwood-containing beef cattle feed. This preparation method is simple and convenient, greatly improves the palatability of wormwood, and can effectively increase the utilization rate of wormwood.

[0014] Experiments have shown that feeding cattle with the beef cattle feed prepared in this application as roughage has no adverse effects on their growth and development. The average weight gain of cattle is the same as that of cattle fed with ordinary roughage. Furthermore, the beef cattle feed of this application can reduce the incidence of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle and help cattle resist foot-and-mouth disease. Detailed Implementation

[0015] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the embodiments of this invention can be combined with each other. The technical solutions of this invention will be further described below in conjunction with the embodiments of this invention, and this invention is not limited to the specific implementation methods described below.

[0016] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0017] In one specific embodiment of this application, a method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia annua includes the following steps: Artemisia annua was added to an acetic acid aqueous solution and treated at high temperature for a specified time, then filtered and cooled. The cooled Artemisia annua was mixed with forage to obtain beef cattle feed containing Artemisia annua.

[0018] The Latin name for *Artemisia desertorum* in this scheme is *Artemisia*, belonging to the genus *Artemisia* in the family Asteraceae. The chemical formula for acetic acid is CH3COOH, CAS: 64-19-7. In this application, the mass concentration of the acetic acid aqueous solution is 0.2% to 0.8%. The *Artemisia desertorum* should be placed in the acetic acid aqueous solution until it is completely submerged. If the cooking time in the acetic acid aqueous solution is too short, it will not effectively improve palatability; if the cooking temperature is too high, it will destroy the nutrients in the *Artemisia desertorum*. Therefore, preferably, the high-temperature treatment temperature is 85°C to 95°C, and the specified time is 1 to 10 minutes.

[0019] Using Artemisia argyi alone as roughage is insufficient in terms of nutrients. Therefore, Artemisia argyi, which has been boiled in an acetic acid solution, is mixed with forage as roughage. Preferably, the amount of Artemisia argyi added is 0.5 wt% to 5 wt% of the forage.

[0020] Furthermore, the forage includes any one of corn stalks, rice straw, wheat straw, alfalfa hay, and silage.

[0021] In another specific embodiment of this application, a beef cattle feed containing Artemisia is prepared using the method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia as described in any of the above claims.

[0022] Furthermore, the wormwood-containing beef cattle feed is used as roughage for beef cattle.

[0023] It is worth noting that the process temperature and process time involved in the above embodiments are all temperatures or times used in the experiment. Any reasonable adjustments made by those skilled in the art based on the process temperature and process time provided by the present invention, within the error range, should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0024] The technical solution and effects of the present invention will be further illustrated below through specific embodiments.

[0025] 1. Experimental Materials and Methods The experimental cattle consisted of 75 healthy 10-12 month old fattening cattle from the Sanxin Luyuan Beef Cattle Breeding Cooperative in Xixia District, Yinchuan City, Ningxia. They were randomly divided into 5 groups of 15 cattle each. The cattle were fed twice daily, the first feeding time being 7:00-7:30 and the second feeding time being 18:00-18:30. They were fed by designated personnel with fixed quantities and had free access to water. The experiment lasted for 10 days, from July 15th to July 25th, 2024.

[0026] Prior to the experiment, the cattle sheds were repaired and disinfected, and all cattle underwent internal and external deworming to minimize the impact of hygiene and parasites on their nutritional metabolism. Cattle were randomly assigned to groups and uniformly numbered, and then fed in separate pens. Good hygiene, disease prevention, and environmental conditions were maintained in the pens. Feed intake and disease status were closely monitored during the experiment.

[0027] The concentrated feed is the standard concentrated feed used in the farm.

[0028] 2. Blank group The roughage is corn stalks; Feed 6.5 kg of roughage and 2.0 kg of concentrate each time, with free access to water.

[0029] 3. Comparative Example 1 The roughage is a mixture of Artemisia argyi and corn stalks, with the amount of Artemisia argyi added being 3 wt% of the amount of corn stalks.

[0030] Feed 6.5 kg of roughage and 2.0 kg of concentrate each time, with free access to water.

[0031] 4. Example 1 4.1 Clear Water Treatment Group Roughage: Add Artemisia argyi to water, ensuring the water covers the Artemisia argyi, and boil at 90℃ for 5 minutes. Filter and cool. Mix the cooled Artemisia argyi with corn stalks, with the amount of Artemisia argyi added being 3 wt% of the amount of corn stalks. This yields beef cattle feed containing Artemisia argyi, i.e., roughage from the water treatment group.

[0032] Each feeding consists of 6.5 kg of roughage and 2.0 kg of concentrate from the clean water treatment group, with free access to drinking water.

[0033] 4.2 Room Temperature Treatment Group Roughage: Add Artemisia annua to a 0.5% acetic acid solution, ensuring the solution covers the Artemisia annua, soak for 5 minutes at room temperature, and then filter. Mix the filtered Artemisia annua with corn stalks, with the amount of Artemisia annua added being 3 wt% of the amount of corn stalks, to obtain beef cattle feed containing Artemisia annua, i.e., roughage for the room temperature treatment group.

[0034] Each feeding consisted of 6.5 kg of roughage and 2.0 kg of concentrate, with free access to water.

[0035] 4.3 High Temperature Treatment Group Roughage: Add Artemisia argyi to a 0.5% acetic acid solution, ensuring the solution covers the Artemisia argyi. Boil at 90°C for 5 minutes, then filter and cool. Mix the cooled Artemisia argyi with corn stalks, with the amount of Artemisia argyi added being 3 wt% of the corn stalks. This yields Artemisia argyi-containing beef cattle feed, i.e., roughage from the high-temperature treatment group.

[0036] Each feeding consists of 6.5 kg of high-temperature treated roughage and 2.0 kg of concentrate, with free access to water.

[0037] After the cattle finished eating, the leftover feed was collected and weighed. Then, the corn stalks in the leftover feed were manually removed, the weight of Artemisia argyi was weighed, and its proportion was calculated. The specific results are shown in Table 1.

[0038] Table 1 Summary of Experimental Data

[0039] Note: In the table above, when experimental cattle become sick or unwell, they are isolated and excluded from the experimental group to ensure the accuracy of the calculated data.

[0040] During the experiment, both the control group and the water treatment group experienced short-term diarrhea to varying degrees after consuming the aforementioned roughage. After resuming their normal diet, the diarrhea subsided and the animals recovered. This demonstrates that directly feeding cattle Artemisia annua can cause digestive disorders and affect their health.

[0041] Although the average daily feed residue decreased in the water treatment group, indicating that the palatability of Artemisia annua had improved to some extent, it caused diarrhea in cattle, suggesting that pre-treating Artemisia annua with water alone can still have an adverse effect on the digestive function of cattle.

[0042] Although the roughage in the room temperature treatment group was pretreated by soaking Artemisia annua in a 0.5% acetic acid solution at room temperature, the average daily residual feed weight and the proportion of Artemisia annua in the residual feed showed that the cattle did not like to eat the Artemisia annua in this group's roughage. This indicates that this pretreatment method cannot effectively improve the palatability of Artemisia annua. Furthermore, the number of cattle with diarrhea was far lower than that in the group that did not undergo acetic acid solution treatment. This suggests that the room temperature soaking pretreatment with a 0.5% acetic acid solution can effectively remove the toxicity of Artemisia annua and reduce its adverse effects on the cattle's digestive system.

[0043] The roughage for the high-temperature treatment group was prepared by pre-treating Artemisia annua with a 0.5% (w / w) acetic acid aqueous solution at high temperature. Clearly, the experimental results show that the cattle's intake of this roughage was essentially the same as the control group. Artemisia annua comprised 56% of the residue, with the remainder being corn stalks, indicating that the amount of Artemisia annua and corn stalks in the residue was almost equal, and the cattle's intake of both was nearly identical. This demonstrates that the high-temperature pre-treatment method for Artemisia annua effectively improves its palatability, making it suitable as roughage for cattle.

[0044] 5. Example 2 To further investigate the impact of the beef cattle feed used in this program as roughage on cattle growth, 80 healthy 10-12 month old fattening cattle were selected from the same cattle farm after removing calves, sick cattle, and pregnant cattle. They were divided into two groups of 40 cattle each. One group was fed the blank roughage (conventional roughage) and was labeled Group 1. The other group was fed the high-temperature treated roughage (the beef cattle feed in this program) and was labeled Group 2. The concentrate feed and other feeding methods were the same as in the previous experiment.

[0045] The trial period will last for three months, from August 1 to November 1, 2025. For six months starting from the beginning of the trial, the growth and disease status of the beef cattle will be observed.

[0046] Table 2 Summary of Cattle Growth Status Group Average monthly weight gain (kg / month) Foot-and-mouth disease incidence rate (%) Group 1 23.59 20 Group 2 23.31 10 Note: In the table above, when experimental cattle become sick or unwell, they are isolated and excluded from the experimental group to ensure the accuracy of the calculated data.

[0047] Through a six-month observation period, comprising a three-month trial period and a three-month post-trial period, the average weight gain of cattle in Group 1 and Group 2 was essentially the same. This period coincided with the peak season for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in cattle during autumn. The observation revealed that the FMD incidence rate in Group 2 cattle fed with high-temperature treated roughage was significantly lower than that in Group 1 cattle fed with ordinary roughage. This indicates that the beef cattle feed described in this application, as roughage, helps cattle resist FMD.

[0048] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Artemisia annua was added to an acetic acid aqueous solution and treated at high temperature for a specified time, then filtered and cooled. The cooled Artemisia annua was mixed with forage to obtain beef cattle feed containing Artemisia annua.

2. The method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The mass concentration of the acetic acid aqueous solution is 0.2% to 0.8%.

3. The method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The high-temperature treatment is performed at a temperature of 85°C to 95°C.

4. The method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The specified duration is 1 to 10 minutes.

5. The method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The amount of Artemisia annua added is 0.5 wt% to 5 wt% of the forage.

6. The method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The forage includes any one of corn stalks, rice straw, wheat straw, alfalfa hay, and silage.

7. A beef cattle feed containing Artemisia, characterized in that, It is prepared by the method for preparing beef cattle feed containing Artemisia as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The beef cattle feed containing Artemisia as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The wormwood-containing beef cattle feed is used as roughage for beef cattle.

Images